Hippopotamus Saves Wildebeest From Crocodile

The wildebeest benefit the ecosystem by increasing soil fertility with their excreta. Nowadays they are economically important for human beings as they are a major tourist attraction as well as providing important products like leather. However, the wildebeest can also have a negative impact on humans. Wild individuals can be competitors of commercial livestock, and can transmit fatal diseases like rinderpest and cause epidemics among animals, particularly domestic cattle. They can also spread ticks, lungworms, tapeworms, flies and paramphistome flukes.
The black wildebeest is depicted on the coat of arms of the Province of Natal in South Africa. Over the years the South African authorities have issued several stamps displaying the animal and the South African Mint has struck a two cent piece with a prancing black wildebeest.